The Christian Periodical Index® (CPI®) (ISSN 2572-1933) indexes journal articles and book reviews across the evangelical Christian perspective. Since 1957, the Association of Christian Librarians® (ACL) has produced CPI and continues to update it quarterly. EBSCO distributes CPI worldwide.
CPI Highlights
220+ Publications Indexed
Including 100+ academic journals and 105 peer-reviewed titles
550,000+ Articles & Reviews
Spanning mid-20th century to the present
100 Exclusive Titles
CPI is the only place to find them indexed
Trusted Since 1957
Decades of trusted evangelical research
Unlimited Access
Now with FTE-based pricing for institutions of all sizes
What makes CPI unique?
- Limit searches to full-text, peer-reviewed journals, or scripture citations
- Covers multiple disciplines from a Christian perspective: education, literature, medicine, music, nursing, philosophy, science, and sociology
- Indexed by Christian librarians, ensuring accuracy and relevance
Who CPI is For
- Academic libraries
- Seminary students
- Faculty researchers
- Christian colleges and universities
CPI + Galaxie’s Theological Journal Library (TJL)
Galaxie’s Theological Journal Library (TJL) is a collection of 41 conservative, evangelical theological journals available in full text. It serves as a strong companion resource to CPI.
- 40 of the 41 TJL journals are already indexed in CPI
- 8 TJL journals are uniquely indexed by CPI, making CPI the only place for subject-based searching for these titles
Together, CPI and TJL provide both comprehensive indexing and deep full-text access, enhancing discovery and research across evangelical scholarship.
CPI Team Members
Carrie Beth Lowe
Team Coordinator
Johnson University
Sarah Wessel
Managing Editor
Association of Christian Librarians
Lori Thornton
Retrospective Indexing Coordinator
Carson-Newman University
Laura Ladwig
Secretary/Proofreader
Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary
Jamey Wilkes
Reviews Editor
North Georgia Technical College
Douglas Butler
Articles Editor
Retired
Jule Kind
Indexer Training Coordinator
Retired
Robert Burgess
Special Projects Coordinator
Mississippi College
More CPI information for...
- CPI LibGuide
- CPI title lists
- Subscription questions for EBSCO?
- Request a free trial to CPI
- Report an error in CPI
Many librarians serve as indexers for CPI. If you are interested in this type of professional contribution, please contact the CPI Team Coordinator.
- Indexer Resources – CPI LibGuide
- If you have indexing-specific question please contact Jule Kind, Indexer Training Coordinator.
- Report an error in CPI
- Indexer of the Year Award
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We are always looking for new indexers, and many current and future librarians get started serving ACL and the profession by indexing. To get a sense of what we are looking for, we have some videos to introduce the process.
- Beginning Indexing for CPI–Part One, Getting Started
Description: Learn how to get started with CPI indexing. - Beginning Indexing for CPI–Part Two, General Indexing Guidelines
Description: Description of the indexing templates and content of fields.
- Beginning Indexing for CPI–Part One, Getting Started
The Christian Periodical Index (CPI) currently indexes more than 190 publications. New titles are considered for addition to the index based upon member, indexer, and publisher recommendations. The CPI Team evaluates titles throughout the year and bases its decisions on a written selection policy, copies of which are available on request from the CPI Team Coordinator.
CPI has grown steadily since its start and continues to achieve significant milestones:
1957 – The first issue of CPI was published with indexing back to 1956
1999 – Online and CD-ROM formats using the SilverPlatter platform were developed and hosted by BCR (Bibliographic Center for Research)
2009 – CPI became available via EBSCOhost
2012 – Record count surpasses 300,000
2012 – Last print index (volume 35)
2017 – Record count surpasses 400,000
2023 – Record count surpasses 500,000
If you would like to recommend a title to be a part of CPI’s future, please email the journal title and its publication information to the CPI Team Coordinator.
Barbara K. Nelson Indexer of the Year Award
Barbara K. Nelson Christian Periodical Indexer of the Year award shall be recommended (when appropriate) and awarded by the CPI Team with the approval of the Board of Directors. This award is presented at the ACL Annual Conference President’s Banquet to a deserving volunteer.
2025 – Maria Ho
The 2025 recipient, Maria Ho, began indexing for CPI in 1999 and has contributed to both current and retrospective indexing projects. In recent years, she has completed extensive retrospective work for titles such as Journal of Biblical Counseling, Missiology, Alliance Academic Review, Youth Ministry Magazine, World Faiths Insight, and Michigan Theological Review. Most recently, she indexed many years of Contemporary Christian Music Magazine (under its various titles) and continues to index current issues, including National Religious Broadcasters.
Maria’s indexing expertise extends to Chinese-language theological journals, including Jian Dao, Logos and Pneuma, and Sino-Christian Studies. She even recruited a fellow Chinese-speaking colleague to join CPI’s indexing efforts—broadening the scope and accessibility of these valuable resources.
Serving as Digital Repository Librarian at Tyndale University in Toronto, Maria exemplifies the commitment, precision, and collaborative spirit that strengthen CPI’s mission. ACL is pleased to honor Maria Ho as the 2025 Barbara K. Nelson Indexer of the Year.
Barbara K. Nelson Christian Periodical Indexer of the Year Award
Barbara K. Nelson Christian Periodical Indexer of the Year award shall be recommended (when appropriate) and awarded by the CPI Team with the approval of the Board of Directors. This award is presented at the ACL Annual Conference President’s Banquet to a deserving volunteer.
This award was named in memory of Barbara K. Nelson for her impact on both the membership of the association and the growth of the Christian Periodical Index (CPI). Barbara began her membership in the Christian Librarians Fellowship (now ACL) in 1973 and immediately began building relationships and giving back to the Association. She reflected on her motivation for service in an article published in The Christian Librarian 49 (2) 2006 titled “ACL and God’s Call to Librarianship” and said ‘Because I learned so much in those early years, I was committed to giving back.’ Barbara was known for her welcoming smile, warm hugs, and remarkable memory for details about those she met and got to know. Her hospitable spirit and kind gestures are long remembered by those who knew her. She was actively involved in the Association until her death in 2006. She served in many capacities in ACL and encouraged and mentored her colleagues to do the same. The Indexer of the Year award was named after Barb shortly after her passing. Barb’s love for the mission and people of the Association, along with her years of service and great depth of knowledge of the history of ACL, are remembered in this award that now bears her name.
Past Indexer of the Year Recipients
2024 – Mary Tatro
2023 – Beth Purtee
2022 – Jamey Wilkes
2019 – Eve Grant
2018 – Georgianne Bordner
2017 – Robert Burgess
2016 – Joan Spanne
2015 – Craig Kubic
2014 – Sheila Carlblom
2013 – Hugh Rendle
2011 – Lynn Brock
2009 – Michael Van Huisen
2008 – Stanford Terhune
2007 – Flor Oamil
2006 – Ruth Butler
2006 – Barbara Nelson
2006 – Douglas Butler
2006 – Stephen Brown
2005 – Clyde Root
2004 – Murl Winters